CONFERENCE BACKGROUND

Air Force Sustainment Center: , | March 2 - 3, 2020 Registration Now Open Why Should You Attend?

Conference briefings will include the following: Nuclear Deterrence, Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), the USAF’s role in the U.S. Nuclear Triad, F-35, F-22, F-16, A-10 Legacy Aircraft Sustainment, DoD Software sustainment, and Cybersecurity

Members will see: Minuteman III ICBM, and ICBM SILO, F-35s, F-16s, F-22s, and A-10s

Conference Focus

Hill Air Force Base is an Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) base located in northern Utah. It is the Air Force's second largest base by population and geographical size, and is home to many operational and support missions along with being the hub of activity for the depot maintenance of numerous aircraft and weapons systems. Hill Air Force Base has played a major role in the Air Force war fighting efforts from WWII to the present day.

Hill Air Force Base units are helping ensure the nuclear triad remains an effective strategic deterrent now and into the future. The nation needs a robust nuclear deterrent. Not just any missiles, but the most responsive strategic weapon systems in the world.

Airmen, civilian employees and contractors at Hill are working hard to provide that strategic ICBM need by overseeing the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program, the ICBM for the future. Why a new weapon system? For more than 50 years the Air Force’s ICBMs and the Airmen who operate and maintain them have helped ensure peace by operating and sustaining this leg of the nuclear triad. As nations develop more sophisticated anti-ballistic missile systems, the United States needs a weapon system that can effectively survive those capabilities and provide a credible threat. Since Minuteman III missiles are no longer in production, inventory will dwindle in the coming years due to testing and attrition issues as the missiles provide near 24/7 alert coverage.

Along with Minuteman III sustainment and developing the futures of the weapon system, Hill AFB’s fighter wings are home to 78 aircraft and have achieved full warfighting capability, a little more than four years after receiving their first combat-coded F-35A Lightning II aircraft.

Conference: Air Force Sustainment Center March 2 - 3, 2020 As the Air Force’s only combat-capable F-35A units, the wings must be prepared to launch any number of aircraft to support the national defense mission at a moment’s notice. Last year, Hill began regularly supporting combat operations with the F-35A with consecutive deployments. Currently, the wings fly 30- 60 sorties per day from Hill’s flight line. During the exercise, Airmen launched roughly the same number of daily sorties, but they took off in quick intervals. Launching aircraft from multiple squadrons simultaneously presents various challenges and allows the wings to evaluate the capabilities of maintenance professionals, as well as pilots and command and control teams.

The focus of this conference will be the importance of nuclear deterrence mission and air superiority. The conference will provide an opportunity to get up close and personal with the F-35A and tour the Standard Air Munitions Package (STAMP) area.

Invited Speakers for this event include: Senior Leadership to Participate: OO-ALC Commander, 388th FW Commander, 419th Commander, 75th Air Base Commander, and the ICBM Director.

Agenda A detailed agenda for the Annual Meeting will be available in the next week. Arrival for the conference will begin on Sunday, March 1, with a registration check in at 6:00 pm., followed by an icebreaker social at 6:30pm. The two-day conference will run from Tuesday, March 2 to Wednesday, March 3. Listed below are some of the highlights and principal unit engagements planned for the conference agenda. Members are advised that the agenda may change due to operational considerations.

Monday, March 2nd - Tuesday, March 3rd - The conference members will be briefed and toured by the key leadership of Hill Air Force Base: The Ogden Air Logistics Complex provides war- winning expeditionary capabilities to the warfighter through world-class logistics, support, maintenance, distribution and engineering management for actively flying, mature and proven weapon systems. It is one of three complexes assigned to the Air Force Sustainment Center; The is the host unit at Hill Air Force Base and is the Air Force's second largest base by population and geographical size; The ’s mission is to maintain combat readiness to deploy, employ, and sustain F-35s worldwide, in order to fly, fight and win any conflict; The , U.S. Air Force Reserve, oversees a dynamic training program to ensure the combat readiness of 1,200 Citizen Airmen. The wing is home to F-35 operations, maintenance, mission support, and medical personnel; The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, ICBM Systems Directorate, is responsible for inception to retirement, integrated weapons system management of Minuteman weapon systems. The Directorate develops, acquires and supports silo-based ICBMs and provides program direction and logistics support as the single face to the customer.

Conference: Air Force Sustainment Center March 2 - 3, 2020 Notes for Members of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors Please plan to attend the member breakfast on Monday morning, March 2 at the Grand America Hotel, before heading to HAFB. Additional details to follow.

Hotel and Conference Center

Lodging for the conference will be at the Grand America Hotel, 555 S Main St, , Utah 84111. Set in the heart of a spectacular valley, surrounded by majestic mountain ranges and stunning views; 10 minutes away from Salt Lake International Airport and within walking distance of downtown Salt Lake City. The Hotel is centrally located in Salt Lake City and within 1.5 mi from . Please note that all hotel reservations must be made by rooming list through DOCA. A taxi fare from the airport to the hotel is approximately $20; Uber fares range between $14 and $47 depending on the type of service selected and whether surge pricing is in effect.

Driver-Provider offers round-trip and one-way airport transfers between the Salt Lake City International Airport and The Grand America Hotel, reservations are required. Reservations can be made through the Concierge at (801) 258-6703

The venue for the conference will be at The Landing located at Hill Air Force Base, in Northern Utah. Hill Air Force Base is approximately a 35-minute drive from the Grand America Hotel. Hill Air Force Base is home to many operational and support missions. The base is also the largest single- site employer in the state of Utah, with an economic impact of more than $3 billion annually.

Registration The conference price is $875 plus travel and expenses. Please confirm your attendance by emailing Kathy Carter at [email protected] with your RSVP. Once we receive your confirmation, we will send you the registration form, to include hotel and transportation details.

Important program announcements and updates will be provided via email when available.

Social Events

Utah was the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics. The first week of March is the peak of Utah’s Ski Season. Sean and Catherine Slatter have agreed to host DOCA Members who would be interested in skiing at either prior or after the Conference. Deer Valley is perhaps the most luxurious ski resort in the United States. It was the site of multiple ski events during the 2002 Winter Olympics. Please indicate if you would be interested in skiing during this week.

Conference: Air Force Sustainment Center March 2 - 3, 2020